Teenager Killed in Drive-By Shooting Linked to Gang Revenge Attack, Court Hears
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A 17-year-old girl who had no links to criminal activity was shot dead in a suspected revenge attack sparked by the public humiliation of a gang member, a jury at the Old Bailey has been told.
Tanesha Melbourne-Blake, described as an innocent bystander, was fatally shot on Chalgrove Road in Tottenham on 2 April 2018, moments after spending the evening with friends during the Easter bank holiday weekend.
Prosecutors allege that Marcus La-Croix, 38, carried out the shooting during a planned “ride out” following a violent assault on him two days earlier. La-Croix denies murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
A Silent Car, Three Sparks, and a Life Lost
Tanesha had been walking with her boyfriend, Lumear Small, after playing a street game known as “penny up” with friends. As they moved along Chalgrove Road, a car with heavily tinted rear windows slowly pulled alongside them.
According to evidence heard in court, Lumear saw “a hand holding something emerge” from the rear window, followed by “three bright sparks” and a rapid “pap, pap, pap” sound initially resembling fireworks.
The car paused only for seconds before speeding away.
Tanesha shouted, “Jace, duck!” to her friend moments before turning and saying the devastating words:
“Jace, I’ve been shot.”
She collapsed to the ground and quickly became pale, the court heard. Her boyfriend used her phone to call emergency services and notify her family as neighbours rushed to help.
Jurors were told Tanesha had “no involvement in any criminality” and may not have been the intended target.
A Violent Feud and a Humiliating Assault
Prosecutor Jocelyn Ledward KC outlined the background to the suspected revenge attack. In the early hours of Easter Sunday, La-Croix was assaulted at Tinseltown Restaurant in Farringdon by four men linked to the Northumberland Park Killers, a gang allegedly involved in a long-running conflict with the Wood Green Mob.
La-Croix was dragged down a staircase, kicked, and punched repeatedly. His girlfriend, Samantha Aborro, attempted to shield him during the assault. The attack was captured on video after one of the assailants grabbed La-Croix’s iPhone and live-streamed the incident on Instagram, causing widespread humiliation.
A voice in the clip described the beating as the “consequence of screaming green,” referencing the rivalry between the two gangs.
The four attackers were later identified and convicted of affray.
Prosecution: ‘A Ride Out Meant to Cause Death’
The prosecution argues that the attack on La-Croix, combined with the viral humiliation that followed, triggered a retaliatory mission. La-Croix and his close associate Michael Clarke, 36, were described as “prepared to support each other well beyond the bounds of normal friendship.”
Ms Ledward told the court the fatal shooting was carried out using a Czechoslovakian-made automatic Browning pistol and that the car involved had been used specifically for the purpose of causing death or serious injury.
Although prosecutors acknowledge Tanesha “may not have been the intended target,” they maintain the attack was deliberate and targeted someone connected to the rival group.
Hours after the restaurant attack, Clarke allegedly rushed to La-Croix’s side, visiting him at home an action the prosecution says demonstrates the nature of their relationship and the immediacy of the retaliation that followed.
A Family Left Devastated
Two members of Tanesha’s family attended the courtroom as the chilling details were revisited. The teenager’s death sparked widespread grief in her community, where she was known as a cheerful, well-loved young woman with a bright future.
She died asking for her mother.
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